Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekcavallini’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Dekcavallini’, characterized by its large decorative-type inflorescences with white-colored incurved ray florets; vigorous growth habit; strong and upright flowering stems; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DEKCAVALLINI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a cut flower and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dekcavallini’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely flowering decorative-type Chrysanthemum plants with attractive ray floret coloration and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands on Oct. 1, 2004 of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 41237, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 03.7864.02, not patented. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands on May 5, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands since May 25, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dekcavallini’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dekcavallini’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum:

-   -   1. Large decorative-type inflorescences with white-colored         incurved ray florets.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Strong and upright flowering stems.     -   4. Excellent postproduction longevity; plants maintain good         substance for about four weeks in an interior environment.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more vigorous than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower three days earlier         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences         than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower three days later than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent         selection have yellow-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Anastasia’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,550. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Anastasia’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more vigorous than         plants of ‘Anastasia’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger leaves than plants         of ‘Anastasia’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences         than plants of ‘Anastasia’.     -   4. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were incurved         whereas ray florets of plants of ‘Anastasia’ were straight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum plant. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Dekcavallini’ grown as a disbud type.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises close-up views of the upper (top of photograph) and lower surfaces (bottom of photograph) of typical inflorescences and leaves of ‘Dekcavallini’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the autumn in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. Plants were initially given nine days of long day/short night treatments followed by short day/long night treatments to induce flower initiation and development. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. and light levels were about 7 kilolux. Plants were pinched one time and were nine weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Dekcavallini’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 41237,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number             03.7864.02, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 13 days             at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 15 days             at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance/growth habit.—Herbaceous decorative-type cut             flower that is typically grown as a disbud-type; vigorous             growth habit.         -   Flowering stem description (peduncles).—Aspect: Erect.             Strength: Strong. Length: About 80 cm to 90 cm. Stem             diameter: About 7 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm to 3 cm.             Texture: Finely pubescent; longitudinally ridged. Color:             Close to 146A to 146B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 8 cm to 12 cm. Width: About 4.5 cm to 7.5 cm. Apex:             Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately and crenately             lobed; sinuses convergent. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent, rough; veins prominent on lower             surface. Venation pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Color:             Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing             leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully developed             leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation, close to             147B. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B;             venation, close to 147C. Petiole: Length: About 1.5 cm to             3 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Rough. Color, upper surface: Close to 146A to             146B. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B to 146C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with oblong             to quilled-shaped incurved ray florets; inflorescences borne             on terminals, arising from leaf axils; ray and disc florets             develop acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower             in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere; at other             times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development             can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at             least 13.5 hours of darkness); early and uniform flowering             response; plants exposed to nine days of long day/short             night conditions after planting followed by photoinductive             short day/long night conditions flower about 52 days later             when grown as a disbud-type.         -   Postproduction longevity.—In an interior environment,             inflorescences and foliage will maintain good color and             substance for about four weeks; inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Grown as a disbud type only the             terminal inflorescence is allowed to develop.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 12 cm to 14 cm. Depth             (height): About 3.5 cm. Disc diameter: About 3 mm,             inconspicuous. Receptacle height: About 6 mm. Receptacle             diameter: About 1.2 cm. Receptacle color: Close to 145C.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Shape: Flattened spherical to rounded.             Height: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Color: Close to             137C.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.5 cm to 6.5 cm. Width: About 5             mm to 10 mm. Shape: Oblong or quilled; incurved. Apex:             Emarginate. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Number per             inflorescence: About 250 arranged in numerous whorls. Color:             When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155D;             towards the base, close to 150B. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to NN155D; towards the base, close to             150B.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Fused tubular, elongated. Apex:             Dentate. Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Number             per inflorescence: About 25, massed at the center of the             receptacle. Color: Apex: Close to 145A. Mid-section: Close             to 13B. Base: Close to 155B.         -   Involucral bracts.—Length: About 1 cm to 1.4 cm. Width:             About 3 mm to 8 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent; slightly rough.             Number per inflorescence: About 50 arranged in about three             to four whorls. Color, upper surface: Close to 137C. Color,             lower surface: Close to 137A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Present on both ray and disc florets. Style length: About             5 mm. Style color: Yellow. Stigma color: Yellow.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under     commercial conditions. 

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekcavallini’ as illustrated and described. 